No excuse for the lack of blog entries lately. Headed out to see The Crime Fighter – Sam Tripoli and Alonzo Bodden in action tonight at Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock. Give me a shout if you’re there – just ask around…

Also, just got word that LiveComedyLA.com got its first media mention on 93.1 Jack FM. Thanks guys! And thanks Matty Ballgame for the PR.

I have a new favorite comedy club – The Ice House in Pasadena. The Ice House combines all the best features of the Improv, Laugh Factory, and Comedy Store…plus it throws in ample parking. I absolutely loved my first visit to the Ice House. The venue was well-designed, the staff was friendly and on top of their game, the show was spectacular, and it’s reasonably priced. It was the little things though that I dug the most:

1. All the chairs in the main room faced the stage.
2. The staff took both your drink orders at the same time at the beginning of the show (as not to interrupt you during the show).
3. Every seat is within 30 feet of the stage.
4. The main room was tiered.

The list really goes on and on. The highest complement that I can pay the Ice House is to say that I would like to hold my 30th birthday here coming up in July. We are building a killer line-up of my favorite comedians for the event and I want it to be here.

Everyone was terrific. Jo Koy went for about an hour and a half. He did new material on the 405 and his son. But amazingly, the crowded requested jokes…and he did them. It was simply the greatest thing I have ever seen in stand-up comedy. Right there…that’s what live comedy is all about.

The comedian of the night however was Steve Flye. We expect Jo Koy to be amazing…and he was. But I love seeing new comedians just kill it. Steve had a joke about child support that was off the charts. Seeing Steve was like seeing Ryan Sickler or Christina P. or Chris Franjola or Tom Segura for the first…he has the goods – you can just tell. It’s an exciting feeling for a comedy dork like me. Check out his VideoShot of Steve.

…and definitely check out the Ice House…I’ll be there all summer checking out the comedians.

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Jim Gaffigan hits The Wiltern on Saturday, November 8th. Tickets officially go on sale tomorrow according to Live Nation. However, Ticketmaster already has tickets on sale right now as part of an “internet pre-sale”. No code necessary. Gaffigan is a spectacular comedian and 100% clean so you can take the entire family. He tours so much that it is tough to see him do stand-up comedy in Los Angeles. The link to Ticketmaster is below.

Family, Friends, Live Comedy, and College Basketball…that’s what life is all about…well, at least in my world. And during the month of March…barring death…College Basketball rules all…so bare with me on the slow updates on the world of live comedy in Los Angeles. Nothing in sports…and very few things in life…beat Davidson knocking off Georgetown or San Diego taking down UConn. It’s not just about basketball…it’s about setting a goal, believing in yourself, and fighting against all odds to come out on top. Ask a stand-up comedian…they might be able to tell you what it feels like ; ).

I wanted to wrap-up a few loose ends from last week. I went to Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock on Tuesday to see Shang perform for the first time. I can’t lie…I had preconceived notions about Shang (I’m human). I saw the headshots…the big time pub…and I thought…”Who the heck is this guy?” Here’ is the truth – Shang is the man. Very cool, down to earth comedian…so comfortable on stage. He wasted no time in letting the jokes fly. I am not sure how long he has been doing stand-up…but I would venture to say it’s forever because the stage looks like it’s home. He reminds me of Joe Rogan…I have a feeling these guys would get along. Just doesn’t give a shit…and tells it like it is. So great to see him do his thing in an intimate setting like Ballgame’s.

The rest of the line-up was good. I think Brian Keith Etheridge went on too long about sucking dick. His material is too good to be talking about sucking dick for 7 minutes. It’s uncomfortable. It’s not Gaffigan talking about bacon…you get a different vibe. Saw Ed Galvez for the second time in the last week…I’d like to see Ed do improv or sketch…I think he would kill in that environment. Josh Wolf was stellar…his jokes about his kids are unreal. He tells a joke about wrestling his teenage son and using “old man strength” that had me screaming. Bryan Erwin is always good. And Ballgame had Jay Montepere in the house for the first time. He was solid. Looking forward to seeing him again.